People & Culture.
People & Culture.
We're a laser-focused team.
Vanguard employs high achievers and equips them with the best safety solutions, training, and industry knowledge, to ensure that our clients are readily and reliably supported to prevent the unthinkable happening.
Clients know us as an energetic bunch, quick to laugh, yet laser-focused on our client responsibilities, leaving nothing to chance. If we can’t help, we’ll tell you who can. Because safety always comes first.
Our Values.
Do the right thing.
Do the right thing.
Make it happen.
Make it happen.
Is there a better way?
Is there a better way?
Add value.
Add value.
Be the difference.
Be the difference.
Meet our team of Vanguardians.
Our end-to-end solutions leave nothing to chance, meet the team who make it happen.
Gareth McLean
Gareth is Vanguard's CEO, leading the family business his father started in 1991 and keeping it focused on solving customers' safety problems, not just taking their orders.
Before Vanguard, Gareth spent 12 years as a joiner - designing, manufacturing and running production teams. He brought that hands-on approach through operations and sales roles before stepping into the CEO seat.
His goal is simple: ensure every interaction with Vanguard gives customers total confidence - that Vanguard will solve the whole problem, stand behind it, and be here for them for life.
Outside of work, Gareth loves the outdoors, mountain biking with his three young boys and mentors’ students to reach their full potential.
Craig McLean
Craig is responsible for developing product ranges, strengthening supplier partnerships, and ensuring customers have access to the right safety solutions for their workplaces.
Having been part of the Vanguard team since 2001, Craig has worked across a wide range of roles after starting in the warehouse, quickly working up to client facing roles including many years out and about meeting clients across New Zealand. This hands-on experience, combined with his background in sales, marketing, and supply chain, has given him a practical understanding of the challenges clients face and enables him to connect their needs with innovative, fit-for-purpose safety solutions.
Craig is passionate about building long-term relationships, continually improving Vanguard's product offering, and helping businesses create safer, more productive workplaces through practical, reliable solutions.
Outside of work, Craig enjoys exploring New Zealand's bush tracks, mountain biking, firing up the BBQ for family and friends, and spending quality time with his wife and family.
Brendan McLean
Brendan is our inspirational Business Development Manager, leading Vanguard’s growth in Australia.
With 16 years of experience working with Vanguard customers, he enjoys building genuine relationships and understanding what matters to people, with a focus on helping them work more safely and efficiently.
As a company director, Brendan is passionate about building a business where people can do great work, grow and get ahead.
Outside of work, he enjoys daily running, getting outdoors, music, and spending time with his wife and family. He also enjoys mentoring others and helping them reach their potential.
Oliver McLean
"What I enjoy most about my role is meeting new people, getting to know what they do in their role and what their challenges are, and being able to pair their needs with effective product solutions that help them and their staff to do their jobs safer and more efficiently. I believe in forming strong business relationships based on trust, honesty and reliability, and I take a genuine interest in solving people’s challenges with fit-for-purpose solutions, over against just trying to ‘sell products’ for the sake of it."
Outside of work Oliver is a fan of downhill mountain biking, playing the drums, casual sport, and catching up with mates over a few drinks.
Louis Hart
Louis joined Vanguard in January 2021 after several years selling safety signage into the civil and construction industries, and now leads the operations function across New Zealand and Australia.
He is passionate about keeping people safe and about making customers' lives easier. Most of his focus goes into the systems, processes and people that let Vanguard deliver well at scale, and into growing the team that does it.
He loves being part of a committed and passionate team.
Louis is married with one child. He is happiest when he has something to work on with his hands, currently a house renovation, and he still reads widely on how people think, learn and work.
Braden Thomas
Braden heads Vanguard's Procurement and Product Team, overseeing our product range and ensuring the right solutions are available at the right time.
With experience across sales support, estimation, and installation management at Vanguard, he has a well-rounded understanding of the business, our customers, and what actually moves the needle for them.
Braden loves knowing the solutions Vanguard brings to market genuinely improve safety for workers across New Zealand and Australia.
Outside the office, he's usually deep in a DIY project, catching up with family and friends, or running, biking, or tramping around the Wellington region.
Brad Johnson
Brad Johnson is Vanguard's Project Manager, responsible for all project deliveries across New Zealand and Australia.
Brad has 10+ years of project and site management experience, ranging from residential upgrades and improvements through to commercial aluminium structures. He has a strong focus on smooth project delivery and timeframes, with minimal impact on the end user.
His goal is for every project – whether in a small town or a major city across New Zealand and Australia – to feel like it's being delivered to a main-city standard.
Outside of work, Brad is married with two kids, volunteers as a firefighter, and holds a commercial pilot license with 3,000+ hours.
Sarah Williamson
As Vanguard's Operations Administrator, you can consider her the mission control for every sales order – from the moment a customer's PO lands to the moment their delivery does.
With experience steering orders through the UK and beyond, she's basically fluent in "where's my order?" and always has a friendly answer ready when you call in.
For Sarah, time management and attention to detail are a personal sport at which she's very good at winning.
When she's off the clock, she's out exploring New Zealand's best views, or, if the weather has other plans, curled up with a good book instead.
Marcus McLean
Marcus leads Vanguard's Roading and Infrastructure division with expertise in traffic management and road safety.
He leads R&I projects across New Zealand, focusing on providing quality safety solutions that ensure our clients' projects run smoothly and on time.
Marcus is dedicated to bringing a solution-oriented approach to our clients' challenges, prioritising the safety and efficiency of every project.
Outside of work, Marcus likes to run, participate in team sports, and spend time with his wife and family.
Narissa Strauchon
Narissa is a key part of Vanguard's Roading and Infrastructure team, driving business development to fuel growth and build strong relationships across the industry.
With a wealth of experience in sales, she's got a knack for turning first conversations into successful outcomes, all while helping clients deliver safe and efficient projects along the way.
Outside of work, Narissa enjoys spending quality time with friends and family, as well as her dog, Wolf. She loves traveling to warm destinations with beautiful beaches.
Haylee Bolton
Haylee works to support her clients and the wider Roading and Infrastructure team to keep things running smoothly and ensure a positive customer experience.
With a background in the building industry, Haylee brings practical industry knowledge, strong organisational skills and a genuine focus on building great relationships. She values honesty, teamwork and putting customers first, while continuing to grow her knowledge and skills.
Outside of work, Haylee enjoys spending time with her partner and kids, getting stuck into a good book and enjoying a well-deserved drink with family and friends.
Jackie McGuinness
Jackie is Vanguard's first point of contact for inbound and sales enquiries, making sure every customer gets a fast, clear response and a great first impression.
With 40 years of experience in customer service and sales, Jackie knows how to quickly understand what a customer needs and get them the right answer, the right person, or a proposal that moves things forward.
Jackie keeps records clean and follow-ups timely and is always looking for ways to make the journey from enquiry to proposal to sale as seamless as possible for Vanguard customers.
Outside of work, Jackie enjoys travelling and food tours, exploring the tastes of other cuisines, and is always keen to try new foods and flavours from around the world.
Tim Boon
Tim joined Vanguard in 2021 and enjoys being part of a team that’s energetic, passionate and genuinely committed to helping customers.
He takes pride in providing great service, building strong relationships and making sure customers get the support they need.
Outside of work, Tim enjoys spending time with his wife and their three teenage children. He’s often out exploring the regional parks and reserves around Wellington on foot, or mountain biking with his boys.
Baxter Ford
Baxter's role at Vanguard involves regularly visiting clients face-to-face to gain a comprehensive understanding of their requirements for site safety.
Since joining Vanguard in 2020, Baxter has become a specialist in safety projects for warehouses and facilities, focusing on tailoring solutions that meet the unique needs of each client. His expertise ensures that safety protocols are not only met but exceeded, creating safer environments for all.
Baxter builds strong relationships with clients, offering personalised advice and recommendations to optimise safety and efficiency in their operations.
Outside of work, Baxter enjoys playing music, casual sports, and catching up with mates over a few drinks.
Rebecca Freeman
Rebecca is passionate about building genuine relationships and helping clients create safer, more effective workplaces.
With a strong background in people-focused roles, she believes great service starts with understanding people’s needs and genuinely caring about the outcome.
Rebecca enjoys working closely with customers to find practical safety solutions for their sites and takes pride in ensuring every client feels valued and supported throughout their journey.
Outside of work, Rebecca is a proud mum of two and lives on a lifestyle block. She loves entertaining and spending quality time with family and friends.
Hannah Goddin
Hannah has been part of the Vanguard team since 2017, working in Business Development and supporting the NZ Projects team.
She’s passionate about finding fit-for-purpose solutions that help keep people safe from traffic and moving plant, while keeping workplaces and operations running efficiently. She loves seeing Vanguard solutions out there doing what they’re designed to do — keeping people safe and businesses moving.
Outside of work, Hannah is mum to a school-age daughter and loves to cook. She also enjoys spending a day in the garden… although you wouldn’t know it by looking at hers!
Jared Muller
Jared is our Australian sales manager, working directly with clients to identify the right safety solutions for their sites. He enjoys being involved from initial scope through to seeing a safer place at the end.
Before joining Vanguard in 2024, Jared spent six years in the civil and plumbing industry followed by three and a half years in industrial cleaning equipment, giving him a solid grounding in how sites operate on the ground.
Jared loves working alongside clients to find solutions that create safer, more productive workplaces. He's driven to build Vanguard into the go-to partner for workplace safety across the industries he works with – consider him your safety wingman!
Outside of work, Jared enjoys spending time with his wife and two young boys, keeping up with sport (always keen to talk all things cricket and NRL), entertaining family and friends, or getting involved in things that give back to the community.
Ferg Deck
Ferg has over 20 years’ experience in the workplace safety industry and brings a strong mix of technical knowledge, project experience and commercial thinking to his role at Vanguard.
He works closely with customers across Australia to understand the challenges they face and develop practical safety solutions that work in the real world, from individual sites through to large-scale projects and national accounts.
Ferg is passionate about growth in Australia through building long-term relationships, simplifying complex safety challenges and helping clients make confident, informed decisions.
Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his young family, heading out to a good beach, and experimenting and perfecting dishes in the kitchen and with BBQs.
Gary Whiteman
Gary brings two decades of experience in the construction sector and enjoys collaborating with people to achieve solid and safe outcomes for projects requiring pedestrian, traffic and plant safety.
After hours, you will probably find him bashing some tunes out on the piano and enjoying walks and hikes with his wife and three teenage children amongst the great scenery spots we have in this country.
Jess Pleasants
Jess is Vanguard's Estimation Admin, estimating and turning tender documents and drawings into quotes that win work.
She brings sharp admin skills, solid product knowledge, and a keen eye for detail that keeps quotes moving under pressure.
Jess is focused on streamlining the estimation process, sharpening how quotes are presented, and setting the sales team up to close.
Outside of work, Jess is usually curled up with a good book or working through her latest Lego build.
Gideon Precillas
Gideon brings expertise in 3D design modeling and estimating, combining technical precision with a strong understanding of project requirements to help deliver accurate, efficient, and well-planned outcomes.
He enjoys transforming concepts into detailed models that contribute to successful project execution.
Outside of work, Gideon has a passion for music production. He also enjoys riding motorcycles, embracing the freedom of the open road.
Michelle Gillum
Michelle keeps the governance, risk, and compliance wheels turning so the rest of the business can focus on the work in front of them.
Michelle joined Vanguard as Executive Assistant to the CEO and quickly stepped up. She brings over a decade of executive and office management, with stints at DPMC, Dulux Group, and Silvester Clark Consulting Engineers.
Michelle brings a sharp eye for detail and keeps a calm head under pressure. She values doing the right thing and believes a problem is only solved once it's fixed for good.
Outside of work, Michelle enjoys a good book, a home renovation project, and spending quality time with family and friends. She believes in balancing hustle with heart and always having a laugh along the way.
Angela Smith
As part of Vanguard’s Business Support team, Angela brings strong accounts experience, attention to detail and a friendly, practical approach to her role in Accounts Payable.
Angela enjoys building positive relationships with customers, suppliers and colleagues and takes pride in being approachable, reliable and willing to help. She is always looking to learn and grow while contributing to a great experience for the people Vanguard works with.
Outside of work, she enjoys the classic car scene, taking her partner’s 1960 Chevy Impala out for a weekend drive, as well as Pilates and spending time with friends and family.
Sheryl Peterson
Sheryl is a valued member of Vanguard’s Finance team, working in Accounts Receivable. With decades of experience across all key areas of accounting, she brings a wealth of knowledge and a strong focus on customer service to her role.
Sheryl is passionate about ensuring Vanguard’s customers are kept well informed and receive excellent communication and support throughout their experience — always with a smile, of course!
Outside of work, Sheryl loves to travel, explore new places and make the most of new experiences.
Cameron Madams
Cameron is a passionate and accomplished digital content lead with a keen eye for story and brand.
With experience in both commercial and narrative filmmaking, Cameron brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to Vanguard’s marketing team. He enjoys bringing human stories to life through warmth, humour, and collaboration.
Outside of work, you’ll find Cameron at the cinema or sharing a drink in the sun with friends and family. He’s also a keen filmmaker whose short films have screened at numerous festivals worldwide.
Amber Wilkinson
Amber is always looking for good solutions to design problems and ways to add value.
With over 20 years experience in the world of graphic design, Amber brings a wealth of knowledge, industry expertise, and contemporary insight into her work.
For Amber, connecting with people is at the heart of good design, and that’s what she enjoys most about what she does.
Jago Suckling
Jago helps to keep the warehouse running smoothly so customers get what they need, when they need it.
He has experience in operations and selling multi-tool blades, giving him a practical understanding of stock, service, and working as part of a team. Jago wants to be someone his team can rely on and help make the warehouse the best it can be.
Outside of work, he enjoys working on vintage vehicles and getting out hiking in the wilderness.
Lincoln Rose
Lincoln is in our warehouse team, and is primarily focused on packing and dispatching orders as efficiently as possible while maintaining a tidy and safe workspace.
In his spare time, he enjoys keeping an edge on his fitness by sparring!
Danniel Kahui
Dan is an essential part of the warehouse team, taking charge of receiving and picking orders while maintaining an organised and tidy workspace. He enjoys staying busy and appreciates the opportunity to learn new things each day in his role.
Outside of work, Dan enjoys playing golf, going ten-pin bowling, and spending quality time with his family.
Leigh Herbert
Our culture is a big deal.
And it’s vital to our status as an employer of choice.
Every month Vanguard employees nominate peers who best demonstrate our core values at work.
The team member with the most nominations get a paid half-day off. This and other initiatives ensure Vanguard maintains a healthy and happy workplace.
It seems to be working – workplace specialists TINYpulse recently recognised Vanguard’s team as the happiest in our industry.
Working for us.
If you want to be part of a team of high achievers constantly striving to create safer workplaces then check out careers at Vanguard
